Convertible furniture base



April 14, 1953 v, FRY'E 2,635,023

CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE BASE Filed Aug. 18, 1948 INVENTOR. HELEN VARNER F RYE BY QPM- Q m G ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 14, 1953 1: 'jUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE fl f r 2,635,023 F CONVERTIBLE FURNITURE BASE Helen Varner Frye, Sedona, Ariz. Application August 18, 1948, Serial No. 4i,8 92

1 Claim. I V I This invention relates to furniture, and more particularly to bases for tables, chairs, and the like.

It is an object of the invention to provide a furniture base which combines solidity of construction and large supporting capacity with economy of material and simplicity of manufacture.

' A still further object of the invention is to provide abase for coffee tables, occasional tables and small tables of any description which, individually or combined in pairs, may be used in a variety of positions and with a variety of dcors so as to permit various transformations in the appearance, height or design of the tables.

Another object of the invention is to provide a convertible base for tables and thelike.

Other objects, and the manner in which the same are obtained, will be apparent from the following description.

In the drawing accompanying the specification and forming part thereof, specific embodiments of the invention are shown diagrammatically by way ofexamplejbut I wish it to be understood that I do not desire 'to be limited to the details of design, construction and operation shown and described asnumerous modifications falling within the scope of the appended claim suggest themselves, without departing from the general concept of the invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing, in perspective, of one embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 shows, in perspective, the base of Fig. 1 used in adifierent position Fig. 3 shows, in perspective, a table top resting onfa pair of bases of the typeshown in Figs. 1

c and 2, While Fig; 4 shows, in perspective, a modified form of the'invention. Referring now to the drawing, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the base according to the invention is shown as "comprising a center portion ID from whichfour legs I I extend in a somewhat liad ialpattern, to terminate in base or supporting portions l2.

As seen in Fig. 1, the triangularly shaped supporting portions [2 offer comparatively large surfaces l3 for the support of the base on the floor, as wellas for the support on the base of a table top (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1)

The large area of the supporting surfaces l2, and the associated construction of the legs II and the entire base insure a stable and rugged support of the base on the floor as well as of the In addition to this impressive stability and economy of materiaL'bases of the invention present the additional facility, without significant variation in stability, of comprising lateral faces which can be made supporting surfaces as illus-'- trated in Fig. 2, presenting a table of radically different appearance. By suitable variation in the dcor of the faces at right angles to each other, an apparently complete transformation in the nature of the table can be accomplished. Moreover, by providing a suitable variation between the height and' thickness of the base, as in Fig. 1, transformation to a lower table, such as a coffee table, is readily effected by laying the base Over on its side as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 2, wherein parts correspond"- ingto those shown in Fig. 1 are indicated by identical, but primed reference numerals, it is seen that the function of supporting surfaces is now assumed by the lateral faces of the base shown in Fig.1, including the center portions I0, leg portions II and terminal portions 12' shown in Fig. 2. The total area of these supporting surfaces is Very considerable compared to the economy of material used in the structure, so as to insure stability of support for the base on the floor, as well as for the table top 14 on the base.

Apart from being an essentialfactor in'the economy of material used in the base, the somewhat triangular cut-outs or free spaces, indicated at IS in Fig. 2, serve the additional purpose of accommodating the feet of people sitting around the coffee table- The change of position, illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, results in a signal change in the structural appearance. of the table. 'Its modification maybe emphasizedstill further by suitable variations in the dcor of the base. Thus, the surfaces exposed to viewas lateral faces of the table, in the "position shown in Fig, 2, may be finished in colors or color-schemes different from the lateral faces of the table in the position shown in Fig. 1.

' The furniture bases according 'to'the invention dcor. For example, the lateral faces of the two bases shown in Fig. 3 which are on the outside may be finished in one color, and the lateral faces which in the drawing of Fig. 3 are located on the inside, may be finished in a different color. Manifestly, if these bases are turned around and used in positions where the former outside faces are located on the inside, and vice versa, the appearance of the table is changed markedly. Also, the faces-of 'thecut-outs may be finished in colors and color-schemes'different from the finish of the lateral faces and, if desired, different for the two bases, If the two bases are superposed in positions corresponding to the position of the single base shown in Fig. 2, where the faces of the cutouts become the lateral faces of the table, there will again be a radical change in the appearance of the table. Thus, it will be seen that the novel bases lend themselves to a wide variety of variations or combinations which permit the user to adapt the table to various occasions as well as to a variety of interior decoration schemes.

The table top may simply rest on the supperting surfaces of the base when the nature of the materials employedfor the base and top, respectively, :is such as to provide 'for :suflicient friction to "minimize the danger-of slipping. Preferably, the table .topis held in place on the base 'by'any conventional means of removable attachment or detent. Thus, sheets of rubber, for example, sponge .Jrubber, may be placed, either removably or permanently .attached,'over the supporting s1 faces such as surfaces 12 in Fig. 1, to hold the tabletop in place by friction;

.As another example of a convenient mount for the table top, Fig. .4 illustrates a'number. of suction cups. 1 6 :made-or rubber whichare distributed over the "supporting surfaces all, and which by compression and the resulting vacuum created in the two end portions of the cup, attach securely to the :base and in turn, firmly mount the table top. Therbaseshownin Fig. 4 diiferssomewhatin designirom the bases illustrated in Figs. .1,.2:and 3 in that the zlegzportionsi 9 extendfrom the center portions [8 :ina symmetric pattern, as distin-. guished from the somewhat offset, off-center relationship of the-corresponding portions 1.!) and H shown inEig, :1, for example. This difference in .design,.however, entails no changes in the general function 101 the several parts, :nor does it sacrifl'ce'any of tlieiadvantages enumerated above withreferencetofligs.1,12anda3.

'While particular utility attaches to the ruse :of the novel furniture bases according to the rinvention :as supports :for dining :room tables, -rcofiee tables, occasional tables and :anyzotherikind .of standard .or small tables, the bases are also adaptable for the :support of .seats, stools, book shelves and any other .kind'of furniture.

'Ihesimplicity of construction of the novel'bases results in a signal reduction of manufacturing costs which permits the marketing of occasional tables and the like atiprices whichare buta fracticn of the prices now prevailing which are so high because of the costly cabinet work involved in the construction of conventional furniture. The simple construction of the present bases invites manufacture on a :massnproduotion ba is whereby the cost is cut still further. In the manufacture of the :novel bases, any-convenient andeconomicalaprocessmaybe employed, the ultimate choice depending on the material used.

Thus, molding, casting, pressing, stamping and similar processes may be used in the manufacture of these bases.

The novel bases according to the invention may be constructed of a y type of material heretofore employed in furniture manufacture, but in view of the simplicity of construction and design, materials not so employed up to now may lend themselves for the manufacture of these bases in addition to the conventional materials. Thus, apart from wood of any description, including solid wood, plywood, sawdust or composite fibrous materials, metals, including chromium plated steel, etc, or glass, plastic compositions of any description may lend themselves particularly well to'the purposes of the invention. The

novel bases may be provided with a variety of dcors, such as ornamentation, colors or colorschemes, which when applied to the several faces of one base, or to the members of a pair of bases used jointly, may result in numerous striking variations in-the appearance of thetable or the like.

I claim:

A self-supporting convertible base for tables and the like comprising a unitary structure having asolid central portion, four legs integral with said central portion and projecting radially whereby there is provided a structure in thegeneral form of an X, the front and rear faces of said X lying in spaced apart parallel planes whereby said base has suificient thickness to support itself in .a vertical position, each of said legs tapering in thickness from said central portion toward its end, the upper and lower opposed surfaces of the legs being offset near their outer ends and extending inwardly toward each other so that there is provided at the outerend of each leg a substantially triangularly-shaped portion having one apex at the end of each leg and providing parallel flat surfacesat the top -and bottom .of said X, said triangularl y-shaped offset portions of said legs extending inwardly :to the left on right radially extending legs and inwardly to the rightion left radially ext-ended legs whereby when said base is in said vertical position there is a V'-shaped notch at each :side of said base between adjoining legs and a diamondshaped notch with one .apex out ofi at thev top and bottom of said ,basegbetween adjoininglegs,

HELEN vARNhfiil -R El.

References Cited in the file of this :patent UNITED STATES PATENTS I Date Number Name v D. 74,473 B.ernhard Feb. 21,, 1928 370,888 'Post Oct. 4, 1887 569,541 Palmer et a1, Oct. 13. 1396 870,140 Throm Q Novft5, 1907 1,371,619 Greenstreet Mar. 15, .1921 2,191,007 ,Bussey ".Feb. 20,1910 2,253,777 Glpson Q A11g- 26,1941

OTHER REFERENCES L. 's. Starrett on: Catalog No. .25, published Popular 'Mec'han'ics: .April .1938, p. 591..

L. s. Starre'tt Catalog No. I26,..pub1is'hed" 

